1984 Skamper 072S

[85_Ranger4x4]

This still hasn't gotten less scary yet...

 

[Fast Eddie]

Time to put it up for the winter?

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Time to put it up for the winter?

Yep. I need to get my truck in the garage to start doing more "upgrades" on it too.

Anyway, had a week to reflect on the camper.

Tie downs worked great, the clamp on ones I used prior were always "working". It took a couple times before they quit getting loose, these I set them once and then kept checking them and nothing ever moved.

Sway bar again was a godsend, high winds aside I could stand to drive it anywhere.

Need to fix the heater but the stove works great.

Snagged little light sensitive "ambient" lights that just plug in, worked great for lighting in the dark when plugged into the outlet on the transformer.

Door needs work. I think I really need to just gut it and rebuild it but it does work for now. Also the door latch needs replaced, the bolt keeps sticking which is scary with little kids in the camper, its a long ways down if they lean on the door and it isn't latched.

Pop up camper stands worked good but I need more blocking and I need them behind the axle too. As it was they were about as extended as they go.

I need more big lego levelling blocks, truck was down by the nose 3* per my garmin. Never noticed it inside but if I had another set (or two) I could use them for the camper stands too.

Fan vent will make a welcome addition especially with the stove.

Still want to fix the clearance lights, I doubt anybody will ever really care if they work but it would be nice if they did. IF they did I would probably get in more trouble with the cops thinking the middle ones in the front are out (never had anything aside from on the corners though)

Need good pillows too. Mine is kinda whooped but on a normal matress a guy sinks in more so it kinda works out. The camper matress doesn't have as mush so a less than ideal pillow ends up being weak.

 

[Fast Eddie]

You got your work cut out for you.

Some folks use foam padding to increase mattress thickness and swear by the comfort. I replaced mine with an 8". Sleep like a baby. Wally sells those king size never-flat pillows. I swear by those. I have two and rotate them out each day and they don't go flat.

Where did you leave off with testing the heater? Don't forget that link I sent. Some of those guys are really smart and could get you squared away in short order.

Hopefully you can enjoy it more next year. Good luck.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

You got your work cut out for you.

Some folks use foam padding to increase mattress thickness and swear by the comfort. I replaced mine with an 8". Sleep like a baby. Wally sells those king size never-flat pillows. I swear by those. I have two and rotate them out each day and they don't go flat.

Where did you leave off with testing the heater? Don't forget that link I sent. Some of those guys are really smart and could get you squared away in short order.

Hopefully you can enjoy it more next year. Good luck.

I slept fine but a guy needs to bring a pillow that isn't totally whooped when we go out next time. Gotta keep in mind I am kinda short on room so too big of a pillow gets into the side. I ran into that, with the electric heater the canvas sweats like a tent.

Heater... basically decided it needed parts and I wouldn't be able to get parts before we were going camping so I shelved it. Gonna start with a sail switch when I get back to it but honestly I am not totally sure how much cold weather camping we are really going to do anyway.

 

[bilbo]

One trick I've found to help with the inside of the canvas sweating is to keep the roof vent open a bit and run the fan on low. We still get condensation but that seems to cut down on it a lot. The first time we camped in cool weather it was almost raining in the bunk ends of our popup.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

I need to new fan/vent...

 

[sgtsandman]

Stop breathing and sweating. That will eliminate much of the moisture problem.

 

[Uncle Gump]

I don't remember having a sweating issue that was too bad. Seems just by my head... my pillow would be damp where it touched the canvas. I left the roof vent cracked... and I also opened the front opposing side window a little to allow some cross ventilation. That was two people max though.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Been thinking about it, the whole storage thing is a serious thorn in this camper's side. Namely it takes 3 guys and like 2 hours to get it out of the barn and into the truck or out of the truck and into the barn. And while it is in the truck it is 100% committed to the elements, I don't have a building big enough to swallow the Ranger with the camper in the back.

I thought about enlarging the door in my garage but in addition to getting a bigger door I would have to redo the rafters because they go sill to sill and my Ranger with the topper barely squeaks under them as it is.

Then I get to thinking my garage kinda sits on a hill, the east side has a pretty good stepdown to the barn lot. Easy 2'. More if I level it out which I would have to.

So lean-to on the side of the garage it is.

I can back the camper under in its trailer if I want and just tug it out by myself when I want to throw it in OR (and this is huge) just back the Ranger in there with the camper in the back if I want. And I can tuck the camper back in the barn over the winter and sneak my snow pushin' tractor in the lean to in the winter so it can actually be inside without bumping my Ranger outside and not have to worry about tire chains messing up my new cement in the barn.

Dad has some old light poles I can use for the one wall. I snagged some long 2x4's from my grandpa's place he scavenged from a neighbors shed that blew down. I have good tin from a hog house I knocked down.

So today I got serious with dirtwork to get it lowered/leveled out.



I use the springtooth to break it up:



And the blade like a bulldozer to move it:



That is only one pass with each and I am rather impressed with how it is going.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

It's so nice when you can work on your own property without having to pull a bunch of "take my money" permits.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

And the next big project for the camper...

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

And in yesterday's adventure we hit tree roots... and clay!



Going to let it dry out a bit and see if I can get that hump knocked down.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

And in yesterday's adventure we hit tree roots... and clay!



Going to let it dry out a bit and see if I can get that hump knocked down.

I noticed you have a valve facing machine. Do you happen to have a manual in pdf? I wouldn't mind a copy if possible.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

I noticed you have a valve facing machine. Do you happen to have a manual in pdf? I wouldn't mind a copy if possible.

Its dads, if he has a manual it isnt in pdf.